BuildR 2.0 - Create buildings within Unity

The new version of BuildR is on the Asset Store!
https://forum.unity.com/threads/released-buildr-3-procedural-building-and-city-generator.893497/
Check out the new website if you've not had a chance yet...
https://b.uildr.com/

BuildR 2 allows users to create buildings within Unity without the need of external modelling programs. It has a quick and simple workflow to create buildings with ease. You can edit and preview everything within the Unity editor. Generate full interiors, curve facades and have overhanging sections. After 4 years, I've taken all the great feedback and knowledge, rebuilt this asset from the ground up, to create something that is flexible and powerful.

Selected Videos



Get BuildR on the Asset Store here
Visit Site | Tutorials | Documentation | Videos | Free Demo

Issue Tracker

 

There is now a free demo of BuildR 2 available on the site here.
Free BuildR 2 Demo

 

Is there any tutorial video ?

 

They'll start popping up this week. Been working on scripts and content for them.

 

Ok...previous version had the integration with Map-ity. Is that provided even in 2.0 ?

 

It's in the works too.

 

Question, can you export and import to FBX formats?? So if you wanted to do something in a program like Maya, Max or Modo? Then import back in? Or is all the edits in this program only?? Which is still cool, but I still would like to be able to do have more control, if I see fit as I do a ton of 3d modeling.

 

FBX export is on the cards. I just need to add it in when i have a chance...
You wouldn't be able to import that model into BuildR though - there would be no way to know how it was modified. It would just be a normal model for Unity.
What there is on the horizon is the ability to import FBX models of very ornate facade designs to make a BuildR facade. For example a really crazy Gaudi like window or door. Custom model import was factored in from the beginning, I just need to iron out the process of importing them as a user.

 

Oh, ok, Thanks anyways.

 

Do you plan on supporting prefabs?
Maybe putting the mesh into an asset and optionally removing all scripts?

 

Good question! Yes I do. It will be part of the export functionality. So you can export the building as a prefab (option to keep scripts/editable) FBX and some text format, either XML or JSON. I'm probably not going to bother with OBJ as it's little used and not directly used by Unity...

 

Where on earth is the documentation for creating buildings using code ??? There is one Youtube Video but that is for the old version of BuildR not for BuildR2.

 

Chill man
There isn't anything yet, I'm currently working on the toolset to use for it, then docs. If you're super eager though, email me and I can send you an example script...

 

How do I go about removing doors? Also, how do you prefer bugs get submitted?

 

Hi Dave, there is a bug with that being fixed and updated today...

 

Obviously I found the forum first before your email address. *laughs*

 

Started a public issue tracker here
https://bitbucket.org/jasperstockerassetstore/issue-tracker/issues

 

Any expected timeline on LOD features? Wasn't this present in BuildR v1?
Great tool btw.

 

Thanks. We have pretty much the same implementation of low detail and full detail generation modes from 1 implemented in 2

 

So I'm thinking about buying BuildR 2 and I am curious about how can I add windows, roofs, etc that I create and if there is any specific thing I need to do while creating them.
And any ETA on a video tutorial on how to do so?

 

I have one video above. I'm working on the other ones and hope to get them out soon. There's just so much to do )

 

Is there a workflow for creating buildings which are placed on top of terrain/objects with variable height? thanks in advance

 

Well I'm very much open to discussion on the topic.
The latest version comes with a value to generate a foundation for the building to cover any gaps there.
I guess the thing to look into would be sampling a Unity terrain to cull wall section openings that would be underground? Would that make sense to a workflow?

 

Hi all - I've just dropped the latest version onto the store which includes options to export your building as a prefab and FBX model.

 

Thank you for this feature!

 

Is there any way to use GIS data to generate buildings or at least shapes?

 

It's coming very soon!

 

Hi, can you send me example of how can I create buildings using code? Thanks

 

This is a section that is in the works right now. I'll have an example released when it's ready.

 

Hi, I'm working on some project and i need very basic example how to construct buildr2 buildings from code with given points, can you send it? here's my email: zura.abelashvili@yahoo.com, thanks!

 

Here is the proof of concept I have. I'm working on a ton of stuff that will support proc gen with BuildR, not just code but in editor. I'm getting close to something releasable but for now this will send people in the right direction if they want to get their hands dirty with code.
Note you'll need the latest version of BuildR to get this running. I'm updating it now. 2.051

 

One click building generation almost ready...
http://i.imgur.com/95kgtRp.jpg

 

That is awesome.

 

I've just dropped 2.1 onto the Asset Store. The latest version includes project Genesis, a framework that facilitates procedural generation of building data along with runtime generation support and easy integration with the BuildR framework.
I've included three examples within the Genesis folder and I'll be looking to add some Asset integrations over the next few weeks so hit me up with requests. I have Mapity working well now, package following shortly.
At this stage it's an early framework so documentation exists as a readme file along with asking me questions and the three simple examples I've provided. I believe there might be some big changes once you get your hands on it and send me feedback!
The next couple of items on the roadmap are supporting interior generation and a new system that will support faster runtime generation as the current, editor focused setup is too slow.
Go get it!

 

Mapity integration is here
https://goo.gl/5tVdpE

 

And just a note - I updated the Mapity integration to pull height data if available. Same link as above

 

Just as a bit of feedback ... the new Mapity demo above gives me (on Unity 5.6.0) 23 errors like the one listed below. When I switch the building type from Paris to NY, the errors don't show up, but I get a lot of improbable angles and occasionally missing floors on the buildings.

Spoiler

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
BuildR2.MansardRoofGenerator.ToMesh (BuildR2.BuildRMesh& mesh, BuildR2.ShapeOffset.Shape& shape, Single roofBaseHeight, Single meshHeight, System.Int32[] facadeIndices, BuildR2.Volume volume, Int32 submesh, BuildR2.Surface surface, System.Collections.Generic.List`1 surfaceMapping, Boolean generateDormers) (at Assets/BuildR2/Internal/Scripts/Generators/MansardRoofGenerator.cs:143)
BuildR2.MansardRoofGenerator.Generate (BuildR2.BuildRMesh mesh, BuildR2.BuildRCollider collider, UnityEngine.Vector2[] points, System.Int32[] facadeIndices, Single roofBaseHeight, BuildR2.Volume volume, System.Collections.Generic.List`1 surfaceMapping) (at Assets/BuildR2/Internal/Scripts/Generators/MansardRoofGenerator.cs:57)
BuildR2.RoofGenerator.Generate (BuildR2.Building building, BuildR2.Volume volume, System.Collections.Generic.List`1 surfaceMapping, BuildR2.BuildRMesh mesh, BuildR2.BuildRCollider collider, Rect clampUV) (at Assets/BuildR2/Internal/Scripts/Generators/RoofGenerator.cs:323)
BuildR2.RoofGenerator.Generate (BuildR2.Building building, BuildR2.Volume volume, System.Collections.Generic.List`1 surfaceMapping, BuildR2.BuildRMesh mesh, BuildR2.BuildRCollider collider) (at Assets/BuildR2/Internal/Scripts/Generators/RoofGenerator.cs:27)
BuildR2.FullMesh.Generate (BuildR2.Building building) (at Assets/BuildR2/Internal/Scripts/FullMesh.cs:251)
BuildR2.GenerateMesh.Generate (BuildR2.Building building) (at Assets/BuildR2/Internal/Scripts/GenerateMesh.cs:15)
BuildR2.Visual.Update () (at Assets/BuildR2/Internal/Scripts/Visual.cs:32)

 

Thanks for reporting Hopeful, do let me know about anything that goes wrong. There may be ways I need to further clean up the data that Mapity outputs along with the above which I think is a calculation error within BuildR.
https://bitbucket.org/jasperstockerassetstore/issue-tracker/issues?status=new&status=open

 

This looks great, I have a couple of pre-sales questions if I may. I am a business software developer, so pardon my ignorance on any number of items as I have just recently started with Unity so I can create VR apps. (Blissgig.com)

* Can I adjust the material of each window at run-time? Not ALL of them at once, each individual window at any given moment in time. (I can give more detail if wanted)
* How is the poly count? I am going to need a large number of buildings that can be 10 to 100 stories tall.

 

They're good questions.
1. A facade is made up of a grid of sections. Each section has the defined design but they'll have a single texture per design, so all the sections that share the same design, share the same material. If you made a facade of loads of different section designs that used different materials it would be possible. But you'd have a lot of sub meshes in this scenario. Down the road I'm looking into having windows randomised with an atlased texture of variations to use, but there is no date on implementation for that yet.
2. Depends on a lot of things. Each section at it's most basic will be 18 tris. At 10 floors and maybe 10 sections wide that would be 1800 tris for a facade. 4 facades would be 7200. A flat roof would be an additional 26 tris. That is with no interior.

 

Thanks for the quick answers. I agree and understand that the poly count can be affected by multiple issues (ie: 10 story vs 100 story) Your clarification gives me specific data and that's GREAT! Thank you, I can go make some calculations on those values. Perfect, thank you.

I am sorry, but I have read your reply about #1 several times and I am still not sure... so I'm gonna ask a follow up. It sounds like your code does not quite get me there, but since I am a C# developer and you include the code I ASSUME that I can adjust the code to add a quad at the same location/size you are placing the window texture, I can then affect that object at run-time. Would this be possible?

 

Your reply has given me an idea of what you could do. The very next update that is almost ready (reckon end of week, depends on how much time I get on it) includes a new feature where you can attach models and prefabs to wall sections. With this you could add a prefab that would replace the window quad with your own quad and then apply a material to each of these individually. Does that make sense?

 

That makes perfect sense. Awesome. I'll purchase this asset soon.

Have a great day.

 

Has BuildR2 been or it planned be intergrated with Mantle?

 

how do you make a door on external wall that is actually an opening and not a transparent plane?

 

Hi! Sorry for the delay. There was no alert given to me about posts here - the forum is so unreliable after years!!!
Anyway, I'm talking to the guys at Mantle and hope to have something soon.
Interactive doors are in the next update with an example. Hopefully within a week.
Sorry it's been a little quiet, I've been working on a large refactor of the way BuildR handles materials so I can get external models in etc. I've also fixed a load of things on the way.

 

Hello, back in early July I asked about the ability to add a Panel in the same position as the same position as each window. I emailed you a week ago, and since I got no response (hey, it's cool, lots going on, I get it) so I thought I would bug you here.

This is a feature I need for my project so I wanted to see if it was implemented.

Have a great weekend

 

Hi James,
Sorry about the lack of response.
I have it implemented but I'm still working on a couple of bugs that's been halting the update for about a month... I'm hoping it will be fixed soon. My current contract is up mid October so maybe I'll be free to commit to some good BuildR time from then.

 

COMPLETELY understandable. No worries. I am a software developer myself, not a game dev. I am playing with Unity to learn VR development, so yea, I completely understand the time table issues.

Peace,
James

 

Hello,
I have some questions about BuildR and what can be done with it.
Can I maybe contact you via email?